Members of the GMB union staged a protest outside the gates of Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot in protest at new staff car parking arrangements.

The hour-long protest on Monday, March 21, was supported by a total of 60 members of staff, said union organiser Keith Roberts, from Bracknell.

“We represent workers across the board from catering and office departments to nurses, and over the hour that we were protesting 60 staff came out,” he said.

“We plan to continue these protests at least once a month.”

The new parking scheme at the Heatherwood and Wexham NHS Foundation Trust means that staff whose travel to work time is less than 45 minutes and who have access to public transport have been denied parking permits. Those living further away must pay one per cent of their salary for a permit.

The trust said it was forced to impose the new rules because of an acute shortage of parking at both sites. A direct 10-minute bus service from Slough bus station to Wexham Park hospital has been set up.